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Grangers
Get Set to Celebrate Grange Month in 2005  WASHINGTON,
February 9, 2005 - April 2005 has been declared as "Grange Month," and the theme
this year is: "The Grange: Building Communities." Grange Month is an opportunity
to showcase the Grange - its purpose and its programs and activities - in communities
across the United States. To celebrate Grange Month, the National Grange is encouraging
all Granges to organize open house and award ceremony programs, as well as pledge
volunteer service hours to better the community.
Open
house programs are an excellent way to begin building good relationships with
the community your Grange serves. It's an opportunity to present a more complete
picture of what really goes on at the Grange than people see when they simply
drive past your building or attend events at your Grange fair. Simply, an open
house program provides you with the opportunity to showcase your good works. To
get the community more invested in attending your program, we suggest that you
present an award to an outstanding community citizen. The "Grange Community Citizen
Award" acknowledges the good works of a community citizen, and it can be presented
to Grangers or non-Grangers. In
addition to conducting an open house and award ceremony, this year, the National
Grange is also suggesting that Granges ask their members to volunteer their time
to a cause of their choice.
In this year's Grange Month mailings, Granges will find a volunteer hours record
sheet. After Grange members have participated in a volunteer activity, we are
asking them to record their hours and what they did. At the end of April, Grange
Month organizers should total the hours and return the form to the National Grange.
The National Grange will recognize your Grange for its commitment to community
building at your State convention and the National convention. "The
key to a successful Grange Month is activity," William Steel said. "We have created
an information package for you to help make your activities during Grange Month
a success. Get involved with your community, have fun, and meet new friends and
potential members. After all, an active Grange is a healthy Grange." Granges
should receive their Grange Month mailings by March 1, 2005. To order Grange Month
awards, please call 1-888-447-2643, ext. 107.
Extra Grange Month Posters (Limit Amount) Available By Request. If you Grange
did not receive information about Grange Month, please call 1-888-447-2643, ext.
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